Snow's haunting
by Aemeth
Summary: Post Snow's death. Aboard on a new mission the dryad Hephrya makes Queen Danielle question Snow's motives when creating Gerta. Definite Talia/Snow!


'You look unaltered', Danielle said, smiling.

Hephyra grunted satisfied and let her finger trail lovingly down the sealing of her ship.

'My tree is mighty. It takes more than a demon to truly destroy it.'

The simplicity of her words made the smile on Danielle's face fade.

The demon Hephyra was talking about, had once possessed the princess of Allesandria, who had died sacrificing herself to destroy it and save the people she loved and her country.

Her friend Snow. Even now, after two years the memory of her loss stung deeply in the chest of the queen of Lorindar.

Under the force of the demon Snow had hurt and killed many persons, including the dryad Heprhrya. Due to her nature as a fairy however, she had been able to restore herself out of the wood of her tree.

Captain Heprhya was no longer bound to the royal house of Lorindar, still she offered her services willingly from time to time. She claimed it was for the guarantied excitement, but Danielle suspected even the harsh dryad could have feelings like friendship.

Heprhya's glare interrupted her thoughts and Danielle quickly continued the conversation.

'You have changed in other ways though.'

Hephrya raised an eyebrow. 'Really? And what ways would that be?'

'You're somewhat... easier to keep company to. Softer.'

The dryad scowled. Danielle knew how much she disliked to be called anything but rough, free spirited and overdetermined.

'Bah! That's because my strength has yet to be fully regained. Mark my words, in a couple of months you will rather climb into the rares than call me soft again.'

Danielle gave a teasing laugh. Hephrya allowed herself a slight smirk, than her eyes moved behind Danielle and the smirk froze.

'Some things haven't changed, unfortunately.'

Danielle turned around, following the dryad's gaze.

She spotted Talia on the deck, watching the sea with warrienss, while her much newer friend Gerta kept talking to her restlessly.

The scene was so familiar... but as always not without a slight pain. No matter how much Danielle lectured herself, she never had been able to stop comparing Gerta to Snow, who had formed Gerta from a part of herself and the wish of a sister.

She frowned. 'What do you mean?'

Heprhya shook hr head and sighed. Danielle blinked in surprise. she didn't recall to ever have heard the dryad making a sound like that.

'Talia still hasn't let go of Snow.'

Danielle's frown deepened.

'This is not true. She loves Gerta now. Of course she hasn't forgotten her love for snow-'

'And what is Gerta but a part of Snow?!', Heprhyra grunted.

'A part ripped apart from her, a part she wanted to save. A part that would taunt Talia, even after her dead-'

'Stop!'

Hephrya looked at her in surprise that matched Danielle's own.

Usually her temper wasn't so low, but for some reason her blood was boiling.

'Snow saved that part to help us to destroy the demon! But also she did it for Talia's sake . she shouldn't have to be alone. Gerta transformed into her own person.'

Heprhya crossed her arms in front of her chest.

'She's a changling, a product of magic. Of course she has formed her own traits, but in her center she still is a mere reflection of Snow White. And her 'love' for Talia? Implanted by Snow. Not real, but real enough, a construct jut like everything about her.'

Danielle bit her lip, part in anger, part in insecurity.

'Do you say Snow created Gerta to torture Talia?'

'Not torture. But she couldn't let go of her. She possesses her, still. She couldn't endure the thought of someone else having Talia's heart.'

'That's not true. Talia had Faziya.'

'Aye, and how well took Snow that?'

'Snow never loved Talia in a romantic way.'

'Oh really?'

Hephrya stepped closer to her, furry in her green eyes.

'Shortly before Snow killed my body I felt her emotions through the demon. She thought about Talia in a romantic way since a year then. She craved her, even.'

Danielle shook her head. ' She craved for love. She loved Talia and wished to love her more. She thought about a love potion, but she never took that road.'

'Tell me, your majesty - back, when you were called Cinderella did you ever wish to love that boy Peter 'more' ?

'Peter? I-'

'I bet not. People don't do that. They muse about the the idea sometimes, but never seriously. Real love is quite simple in it's essence really. You feel love, or you do not.

I do not deny Gerta became sort of her own person but in the beginning, everything she was, was directly given to her by snow. Not created, but given. Why would Snow give Gerta love and not also more power? No, the love came directly from her.'

Danielle wanted to answer, but her arguments failed her. Wordless she looked back at Talia and Gerta. From the distance, and even though Gertas hair was red, her laugh sounded like Snow's used to.

Heprhya continued in a harsh tone, that cut through hr believes quicker and quicker.

'Gerta is not the part of Snow, that 'wanted to want' Talia. It's the part that really wanted her. A want denied and feared by Snow, almost until her end.

Gerta likes Talia. Desires her. Wants to make her happy. But the love is not complete, as is her whole being. She's hold together by magic, magic that will someday fade. Snow left hr reflection to this world, to Talia, enough alike her, to hinder Talia to forget she's part of her and different enough to lull her into the believe she is her own person. Snow remained indecisive till the end - and doomed Talia. Do you think she could stand loosing that little she has left of Snow again?'

The thoughts in Danielle's head were squirming and rolling badly. She swallowed deeply.

'I... I need time to... think of your words. I don't agree with you yet, but-'

Hephrya interrupted her with a shrug. 'I only spoke the truth. Make of it what you will.'

She turned her back when Danielle called after her.

'Wait! You knew much more than you could have from reading emotions. You know things you can only have learned from Talia, Gerta or me. Explain yourself!'

Hephrya stopped. Silence ruled the ship and just when Danielle thought the dryad wouldn't answer she said: 'I was long gone, Danielle. Not dead, gone. In another form. You don't want to know how I came to my knowledge.'

Danielle frowned - not so much for the mystery of the fairy's words, but of the saddnes within.

With a much softer tone she said: 'You care so much for this matter. I think concerning Talia you haven't changed either Hephrya.'

Hephya tensed. 'You claim to know a dryad's emotion's human?' Her frozen body betrayed her daring tone.

'I know you well enough. And I know how many times you urged Talia to join you. I doubt it was only because of her powers.'

The dryad growled. But she didn't turn around again and left to her men shouting loud orders, leaving Danielle with a worried brow.


End file.
